Maintaining Your Hardwood Furniture By Alex Sarovschli At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Taking care of your hardwood furniture to last a lifetime is not a very complicatedmission. As long as you have the proper knowledge of how to correctly care for your furniture, it can last a lifetime in great condition.

Understanding a little bit about hardwoods is a great start in learning to maintain your wood furniture. A lot of wood furniture is made of hardwood. Hardwood is a wood that is supplied worldwide. Hardwoods include oak and walnut, cherry and maple, hickory and poplar, and many other species of trees.
Hardwoods are characterized by ahuge variety of grains and unique textures. The natural markings add character to the wood’s appearance and have absolutely no effect on the wood's durability and stability.

Solid hardwood furniture offers greater resistance to marring and scratching than furniture built with alternate materials. The occasional dent or scratch in solid hardwood simply exposes more of the same valued wood. A few nicks in a heirloom pieceadds character rather than detract from the value.

When caring for your furniture, it is a good idea to keep your furniture out of direct sunlight, or try to adjust curtains during mid-day hours.Also, you should keep your furniture away from direct heat sources as well, such as furnace ducts, radiators and fireplaces.

Hardwood furniture strives well with a relative humidity of at least 25 to 45 percent. Use a humidifier in winter and an air conditioner in summer. This will help prevent warping and cracking. It is also a good idea to store table leaves in or at least close to the table to maintain consistent environmental conditions.

When cleaning, you should try to dust weekly with a clean, slightly damp cloth. Avoid silicone sprays, which can break down the finish.

Periodically clean your hardwood furniture with a mild, non-alkaline soap and water using a soft sponge or cloth. Dry immediately with soft cloth and buff lightly following wood grains. When using the furniture, make sure you use coasters and trivets with non-scratching bottoms underneath glasses and serving dishes that are placed on the furniture.

To remove water marks, use a small gauge steel wool, rubbing with the grain and buff with a soft cloth. It is never a good idea to use any kind of metal polish on hardware while it is on the furniture. The polish will get into the wood.

If you happen to spill a chemical on the furniture, burn it, or damage it in any way, you can look up home remedies on the Internet of suggestions on how to take care of it. Make sure you look up remedies from several sources before you try to remedy yourself. If you want to be extra safe, you can have a furniture technician take a look at it first.
With proper care, your hardwood furniture can provide years and years of enjoyment for your family. It requires a little maintenance and a little extra care and attention and it will last several generations in your home.

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